Unending Horizon
by AFatFlyingWhale
Summary: "So it's like a movie night, except with the Professors?" Technically, Nora was right. If you considered being taken from your own reality into an alternate one in order to watch different versions of yourself and your friends on a big screen, with an effortlessly terrifying being tending the bar as a movie night. At least the chairs were comfortable? Multiverse Theatre Fic.


**Hey all. I never really know what to say when I'm starting something new. It's a flurry of nervousness coupled with excitement and a hint of anxiety. I've been sort of working on and off on a couple of pieces of this for a long while, actually, but I never could quite work up the nerve to put it out there.**

**Fair warning, as this is one of the plentiful 'watching alternate realities' kind of stories, there are going to be a lot of AUs. Especially ones that aren't close to canon. I like to push the bar with characters, especially with this sort of one-shot-styled fic. Especially this first chapter, some of the characters are going to come as a shock, which is what I intended.**

**Unlike a number of other 'multidimensional theatre' fics, this won't be solely focused on Jaune. All of our main eight will experience significant exposure to the alternate universes that my mind conjures.**

**Thanks to Maxstroid, Justas Kondrusevicius and Fittyzm for supporting me this month!**

* * *

Sometimes, the easiest way to learn a lesson was to see someone else make that mistake.

Sometimes, you had to disobey the most basic of quantum theory and watch yourself make that mistake.

Sometimes, that was the only way to learn.

* * *

Ruby didn't know where she was, but it certainly wasn't her dorm room. Or her room on back home on Patch.

Safe to say, she was somewhere unfamiliar.

"Wha? Where am I?" She asked, coherency still trying to assert itself in her mind as she blinked away the tiredness from her eyes.

Noises greeted her, familiar, comforting ones, the most prominent being the lethargic sounds of Yang waking up. "Mrrmph. Coupl'a minutes."

Then Weiss screamed.

Not the scream of a person waking from a nightmare, instead it was more analogous to a person being suddenly made aware they were in a nightmare.

"Who are you!?" Weiss shrieked, once the scream had left her lungs.

This, of course, had attracted the attention of everyone else that was in the area, and as Ruby looked around and saw many people, familiar and unfamiliar, waking to the sound of Weiss's fear, she noticed something much stranger.

Now that she thought about it, it was probably what Weiss had screamed at.

A figure, spindly, almost skeletal in width, and comprised entirely of the color black towered over the assembled crowd, the only other color being the bright white smile that was far too uncannily wide on its 'face'.

"Hello."

It spoke without moving its mouth, if it actually was a mouth, and its voice sounded like a thousand nails against a billion chalkboards, and yet inexplicably like a soft silk. Ruby couldn't explain it even if she wasn't currently frozen in fear.

"You must be afraid, and confused. I can understand, I was in your position once myself. It was a confusing few millennia."

The spindly figure stretched impossibly far, eyeless face staring into their eyes. "My name is Ak'raj'man'ehu'sdi, but I can understand if that is either too hard to pronounce or remember, so you may call me Ak. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, even under these rather unique circumstances."

Someone else squeaked out a hello, and Ruby noticed it was Pyrrha, staring slack-jawed at Ak. Next to her was a concerned Ren and a somewhat confused Nora. Jaune was, unfortunately, still unconscious, but that may have been a case of secondary unconsciousness.

In fact, now that Ruby noticed, it wasn't just teams RWBY and JNPR in… wherever they were. Both Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch were here as well, the older gentleman more nonplussed than Ruby had ever thought possible.

"I have been asked to bring you here so you may learn a great deal, and to potentially assist in steering your world away from where it may or may not be heading."

That, Ruby decided, made no sense, and then suddenly Ak was in her face, eyeless eyes staring deep into her own silver ones. "I assure you, little Rose, I mean everything that I say, and nothing I don't."

Ruby decided not to think about the fact that that didn't make all that much sense either.

"B-back away from my sister!" Yang tried, she really did, and Ruby had to give her credit, but the initial stumbling and the entire theme of abject terror that Yang was expelling didn't really give credence to a girl that possessed a load of confidence in the current situation.

"Nonsense, dear Xiao Long. I mean no harm to any, though I can see that my appearance does seem to convey an amount of fear that I can guarantee is less than intentional."

"Does that mean you can change your appearance?" Ozpin asked, finally making his voice heard, without the tremors that Yang's had held.

"No, not at all. It is just an unfortunate set of circumstances. Nothing I can do about it, lest my superiors give me express permission to affect this reality."

This, of course, spiked the interest of all listening.

"Reality?" Asked Ozpin once more.

"Oh yes. I suppose I should explain in further detail, so as not to mislead. You have been brought here through various means to revel in the slipstream between existence. You will view other pieces of realities not your own in order to provide insight into your own, so that my superiors do not see a repeat performance," Ak explained, with such nonchalance, completely unbefitting of his stature and current angle.

"Welcome, one and all, to the Unending Horizon."

* * *

Now that Ruby actually had a grasp on her bodily functions, and wasn't paralyzed in terror, she took the time to look around the room she, and her friends, had found themselves in.

And, to be honest, it was Yang who'd come up with the best comparison. "This place is like one of those fancy bars that Uncle Qrow always gets thrown out of before he gets two drinks in."

It was exactly like that, Ruby had to agree. It was remarkably modern-esq, sleek white marble contrasting the other black stone in ways that made it seem to both shine and absorb light at the same time.

An aquarium, blue and vibrant water slowly circulating in it, sat in a far corner, unidentifiable fish floating lazily, and a series of comfortable couches in staggered rings faced what Ruby could only assume was a window that hurt to look at. One moment it was an infinite spread of stars that stretched further than Ruby could comprehend, the next it was pulling her in, and she couldn't draw her eyes away from it.

And, behind what was effectively a bar, stood the ever-terrifying figure of Ak, his wider-than-physically-possible smile still gleaming. It was almost predatory, in a way. It sent a chill down her spine just thinking about it.

"If you have finished getting acquainted with the room, please, take a seat, and we may begin."

The assembled group, whether motivated by impatience or fear, quickly took seats in the chairs, though perhaps it was more accurate to say they simply placed themselves in the couches so as not to potentially aggravate Ak.

"Excellent, excellent. Allow me to give a brief overview of the situation as a whole. Like I mentioned previously, you will bear witness to alternate realities, both of worlds familiar and alien, and you will enjoy some, be afraid of some, hate some, it is in the nature of the realities to hide nothing from you. It will reveal truths, lies, ideas and malformed mentalities to you all, and you shall understand everything, or nothing. You will see yourselves, but they will not be yourselves, unless they are yourselves, and as such expect nothing, and prepare for everything. Have I made myself understood?"

Ruby wanted to shake her head no, as she assumed many of the group did, but no one could work up the courage to do so.

"I shall get out of your way, unless a question is in need of answering, but otherwise feel free to relax and react, speak freely. You are not being monitored, and the progress of time is all but normal in this establishment. If you require something, you need only ask."

Ak gave a slight bow, before gesturing to the infinite expanse of screen just in front of them. "Now, without further adieu, ladies and gentlemen, we shall delve right into the first of many, many realities. Enjoy."

* * *

Amber light cascaded down the face of a figure they were surprised to all recognize.

"Jaune?!" Ruby and Pyrrha both let out in surprise, the most vocal of the assembled group.

Jaune himself was staring stunned at the figure, mouth agape.

This was not the Jaune Arc they were all familiar with.

This Jaune Arc was easily twice as densely muscled as the one they knew, one side of his head completely shaven.

**"Been a couple days, Nora. How's everyone's favorite Valkyrie?"**

It appeared that this was not the Nora they were used to either, major scarring over her face and upper torso, her hair shaved in much the same way as Jaune's, what remained much longer than usual, hanging in a rough braid on the opposite side of her head.

**"Better than Ren. I think I broke his pelvis."**

**"From sparring? Or from…"**

**The rest of the question went unasked, and Nora snorted with laughter.**

**"Wish I was that lucky. Nah, I might've forgotten to not get carried away in training. He'll be fine, he walked it off."**

**"Well, that's at least a little more reassuring," Jaune replied, a knowing smirk on his face. "How're the others?"**

Nora tried her absolute hardest not to look at her partner next to her, cheeks heating up.

**Nora shrugged. "So-so. Weren't too happy with your sudden absence, but they're coping all the same. Ilia asked me to give you a message in case she was out when you returned, but considering what she said, there's no way you could convince me to repeat it. My lack of shame has its limits."**

This time it was Blake who spoke up. "Ilia? What?"

**Jaune snorted. "Sounds like Ilia. She's out on an op then?"**

**Nora gave a nod. "Outer Sectors, apparently. Fang incursion in the north-east needs quashing, or so says the Lord-General."**

**Jaune swore loudly. "Bastards better not touch her."**

**Nora hummed in agreement, a feral tone to the musical note. "Couldn't agree more, fearless leader."**

A few of the crowd looked to Blake, who looked as if her brain had stopped working. Jaune also seemed to be a little stunned.

The screen flickered, static appearing at the edges as the world changed, moving to the next scene of the reality.

"**I wish it were easier to explain, Jaune…"**

**Glass shattered.**

"**Bullshit, Lord-General. If she's sent word that she needs reinforcements, I should be out there. What could you possibly need me to do that supersedes that?"**

**The Lord-General barely managed to tower over Jaune, an accomplishment for one of the two men, though as to who was up for debate. "I have other need of you. You will still be sent, don't get me wrong, but a rescue is not what your mission shall be."**

"**Then you had best be sending others in my stead in that regard, Lord-General Belladonna. If a hair is out of place on her head, yours will be the one to roll."**

"Dad?!" Blake exclaimed once more, eyes wide. "I don't…"

**A sigh escaped the older man. "I understand you care, trust me, I do, but must you be so brazen with me? I am your superior, and I still expect you to act like it, Jaune."**

"**I would gladly betray the world to the Grimm for her if I must. You should know, you taught me that."**

That stunned the audience into silence, though Blake looked as if she was having an existential crisis at this point.

**Anger filled the Lord-General's veins, coursing like a river in a raging storm. "Know? Know!? Of course I know, foolish son of mine! You truly think I know not of betrayal, of traitors of my flesh and blood?!"**

**Jaune did not back down. "Which is why you should know my stance!"**

"**You think my sending of you to assassinate Adam Taurus and my own daughter, your sister, Blake, as an easy task? A simple errand to keep you distracted?!"**

Blake fell back into her seat, silent contemplation etched into her face.

"Jaune's being sent to execute Blake? Who's also his sister?" Yang summarised, her shocked expression mirrored on a number of faces.

**Jaune's breath froze, as too did his reply on the tip of his tongue.**

"**Precisely, boy! You were given a great honour when I adopted you into this household. Even greater an honour when I accepted you as a soldier! But perhaps the greatest honour I bestowed upon you was having you as my chosen champion! Over Nikos, over Schnee, over Xiao Long and Rose! You think their clans were not angered by my clear favouritism?"**

**Jaune frowned, remaining silent.**

"**I ask you to do this not because I believe you not strong enough to face them all, but because I know you are strong enough not to. This must be effective, clean, no martyrdom, no raising above their stations in death. They must not suffer, only pass as they should have long ago!"**

**Jaune's hand strayed to his blade.**

"**They must die, so that we may yet live. A choice I would gladly not make, but given the circumstances, given the choices they have made… their fates have been written in the stone by the very blood they have spilled, following their blind faith to your mother. She has perverted them, distorted their minds, their souls, corrupted them, never to return."**

**Jaune's eyes closed, a solemn look crossing his face. "Then I shall do as you ask, Lord-General."**

**A sturdy hand rested upon Jaune's shoulder. "No, boy. You earn the honour of calling me Father with your deeds. You have the right to, now. After all you have done. I have not been blind to your actions."**

"**Thank you… Father."**

"Uh…" Ruby let out, scratching her head in confusion. "I'm confused."

"Welcome to the club," Blake muttered, as Weiss frowned.

They didn't get to consider anything further as the scene changed once more, flickering static distracting them as the world morphed.

"**Ren, how close are they?"**

**Ren turned to look at his leader. "Close enough. Two-hundred meters north, one-thirty east. They will not hear our approach, though their exterior patrols may yet notice us."**

Unlike Nora and Jaune, Ren featured no shaven head, instead bearing his hair long, tied into a single thick braid that ran down his back, a sleeve tattoo bearing a King Taijitu running down his left arm.

"Woah, Ren, you look so cool!" Nora cheered, glad to have something else to focus on.

"Yeah, nice tats!" Yang called out, admiring the ink.

"**Good. I like a challenge. Nora, stay quiet for now. If I have need of a distraction, you know who I'll call. Ren, stick to the shadows."**

**Ren and Nora nodded.**

"**I'll be entering unarmed. No matter what the Lord-General says, I have to talk with Blake. Try one last time to convince her."**

**Nora perked an eyebrow. "You sure that's a good idea, fearless leader?"**

"**Fuck no," Jaune remarked, with an exasperated laugh. "It's a terrible idea. I have to try, though. Stick to the plan."**

**With that, Jaune dropped from the rooftop, landing without a sound on the ruined pavement below, delicately pulling his sword from its scabbard, other hand coming to rest on the grip of a pistol that sat in its holster on his thigh.**

**Ren and Nora landed as silently next to him, weapons already drawn, and they quickly began to move, silence befalling every footstep.**

**They covered the ground ahead of them with ease, and Jaune quickly handed his weapons to Ren, the other man taking them without complaint and placing them in his own scabbard and spare holster. This was not the first time Jaune had trusted him with his weapons.**

**Jaune was distinctly hoping it would not be the last.**

"We look awesome!" Nora continued to cheer.

"**We've got your back, Jaune. If you need us, let us know."**

**Jaune nodded to his brother-in-arms. "Wish me luck?"**

**A snort escaped Nora. "When have you ever needed luck?"**

**The two quickly vanished into the darkness, simple steps enough for them to fade from view, courtesy of Ren's semblance, one that had proven itself useful time and time again.**

"Huh, I didn't know that was your semblance, Ren," Jaune let out, the first words he'd said thus far.

Ren shook his head. "Mine doesn't quite work like that, though the idea is similar."

**Jaune waited a few moments, allowing himself to calm down as his heart-rate gradually became slower and slower, lulling his body to follow suit in a much more relaxed form, hands no longer twitching for a weapon that was not there.**

**This was diplomacy, albeit barely, but he could not afford any mistakes.**

**Another moment passed and the tension slipped from his fingertips, so Jaune considered himself ready.**

**And with a number of steps, he paced up to the gate, raised a fist, and knocked twice.**

"Wait, he's just knocking on the front door of the enemy stronghold? How is that even a plan?!" Weiss exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.

"Eh, it does kinda sound like a plan Jaune would come up with," Yang remarked with a grin.

**The guardsmen had never seen him approach, and to them it seemed as if he simply appeared out of the shadowy darkness that coated the landscape. Rifles raised, they shook slightly, hands trembling at the grips.**

"**Identify yourself!" One guard shouted, training overcoming shock and surprise.**

**Jaune's bright blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark as he met the dull brown of the guardsman. "My name is Jaune, of the Belladonna. I seek an audience with Adam Taurus and Blake Belladonna!"**

**A commotion ensued as the guardsman quickly motioned to the other to run, his rifle steadying somewhat as he kept it trained on Jaune.**

"**Remain there, and make no moves, or we shall open fire!"**

**Jaune did as he was bid, standing in front of the gate and desperately hoping that no Grimm would see him as an easy target. These men did not look like good shots, and he'd hate to be hit with a stray round.**

"That does sound like the White Fang we know, to be honest," Weiss remarked, and Blake couldn't refute that.

**Nearly a minute passed with no activity before the guardsman who'd run returned, panting. "Sir… Lord Taurus orders him inside, under armed guard."**

**Another motion had the metal gate begin to creak and hiss as it opened, gears grinding as it separated in two, each sliding the opposite direction.**

**Six soldiers, armed with rifles and wearing thick metal plating stepped forward, rifles trained on Jaune with far more training and capability than the wall guards, their pauldrons marked with the blood red claws of the White Fang.**

**Eyes glared at him from behind masks, and he slowly lifted his hands above his head. "I am unarmed."**

**The front pair stepped forward and behind him, each grabbing an arm and wrenching them behind his back, urging him forwards.**

**They were treating him like a prisoner and not a dignitary, but Jaune preferred that. He would rather know their opinion of him than have them disguise it under a veil of friendship. It made a betrayal all the more easy to make, for himself, and a betrayal much harder to be a surprise in regards to the White Fang.**

**The soldiers, rifles still trained on him, ushered him to a large tent within the compound, fabric of rich reds and deep silky silvers, and shoved him through the entrance, releasing him with a final push that drove him to his knees, as they stepped back, guns still pointed his way.**

"**Jaune, Jaune, Jaune… to what do I owe the surprise visit?"**

Blake tried as hard as she could to conceal her emotions, but the shiver that ran down her spine at the sound of that voice was all too apparent.

**Jaune tried to rise to his feet, only to feel one hand rest on his shoulder and force him back down, which he allowed.**

"**Figured I'd just drop in, see how my old brother-in-arms was holding up."**

**Adam's smirk sunk fast, hand coming to rest on his blade. "You seek me out, come into my compound unarmed, to make jokes? You never change."**

**Jaune shrugged. "What can I say. I'm not here to speak to you, and you know that. That's why Blake hasn't been notified."**

**Another voice spoke up from the shadows in the corner of the tent, out of the firelight. "And that, brother, is where you are mistaken."**

**Jaune sighed, disappointment etched into every bit of air that left his lungs. "Here I had hoped that Father was mistaken when he said it was your idea."**

"**Which part does he blame me for? The executions, the slavery or the assassination attempts?" Blake asked, stepping into the light, the flickering of the fire only adding to the effect of her half-shattered mask, scarred eye staring at him.**

The entirety of RWBY and some of JNPR gasped at that. Blake looked pale as a ghost as she looked at herself in the screen.

"**I don't know. Perhaps if you asked him yourself, you may find out the real truth, not the one Adam spoon-feeds you like a helpless child."**

**Blake rolled her eyes. "If you believe what Father says, than you are even more of a fool than I ever was. At least I had the faith in Mother that you lacked."**

There was too much going on. Blake was at odds with her father, and so was her mother?

**Jaune silently considered his options.**

"**Why are you even here, Jaune? Ilia?"**

**Jaune's eyes shot up to his adoptive sister. "Where is she?!"**

**Blake's smile grew. "Oh, you poor, sweet, naive boy. I've been taking good care of her, in your stead. I'll hate to have to tell her you died, but I suppose it's better than hiding the truth from her."**

"**The truth that you would slaughter me for your own gain? For money, for power, for a man who cares nothing for you?"**

"Yeah, get 'em!" Yang and Nora cheered, only to be quickly silenced by what happened next.

**Adam backhanded Jaune hard, sending him to the ground. "You may insult our goals, remain ignorant of our ideals, but if you ever try and imply that my love for Blake is not as strong as ever than you are sorely mistaken, false son."**

**Jaune spat blood, Aura already pooling around the injury on the inside of his cheek. "You truly want to know why I am here?"**

**Adam simply gestured. "By all means."**

"**Father sent me to kill you both."**

**Blake and Adam shared a glance.**

"**You seem to have a strange understanding of how an assassination works, Jaune," Blake uttered.**

Well, Blake couldn't disagree with her counterpart on that.

"**I am disobeying a direct order from him just to try and reason with you, sister, and you spit that honor back in my face and treat me like a dog. Truly, you have fallen so far as to become what you once hated."**

**Adam glowered as Blake sent a fist careening into Jaune's face, knocking him backwards onto the floor, nose already stitching itself back up from the break, Aura glowing bright white.**

That, however, Blake very much disagreed with.

"**Do not dare compare me to the barbarians that are the Schnee. I have only so much patience with you, brother, and it wanes every moment you speak."**

**Jaune smiled from beneath the blood that spilled from his face. "Terribly sorry, sister. Is that a sore spot for you, being compared to the people that you seem to idolize so much?"**

**Blake's booted foot met Jaune's stomach with a solid thump, getting the blond to wheeze. "One more chance, Jaune. Then I slit your throat and hang you from the wall to ward off your little friends."**

Jaune looked to Blake, comforted by the fact that she looked as disgusted in what her counterpart was saying as he was.

"**I tried. By the gods old and new did I try. But you are beyond redemption, Blake, truly. You as well, Adam. I wish it wasn't so, I wish we could go back to being a family, being friends, but you've proven to me that you are every bit the cowards that Father believes you to be. I was untainted by either side, a true neutral party in this conflict, and you have shown me your true colors. Allow me to show you mine."**

"Yeah, take them down, Fearless Leader!" Nora cheered.

**Jaune rose to his feet shakily, and two hands pushed down on his shoulders.**

**A single moment passed and Blake and Adam watched as the soldiers suddenly found themselves on the ground, arms broken.**

"**I am surprised that you would not employ those with Aura as your personal guards. It seems almost too easy to leave you without aid."**

**Four rifles spat rounds at the blond, and he simply shrugged the bullets aside, Aura flaring as they impacted.**

The cheers grew in volume.

"**It has been many a year since I have seen you fight, brother. I must say, I am looking forward to you begging at my boots."**

**Blake's blade flickered into her hand, arcing towards Jaune within a moment, and his arm came up, Aura flaring a blinding white as it crashed down.**

**The tent roof tore as Blake was sent up and out through it in a burst of blinding light, and Adam drew his own blade, far faster than Blake had.**

**Jaune caught it under his arm, other hand gripping Adam by the sword-arm at the wrist, knee flying up into the masked man's midsection with a resounding thud that, if the burst of light and tearing of fabric hadn't alerted the compound, definitely did.**

**Adam groaned as his Aura buckled under the onslaught, but he shoved Jaune back, sword coming free from the blond's grip as he stepped backwards.**

"Woo!" Yang, Ruby and Nora cheered, throwing their hands in the air.

**Blake, having landed on her feet, was already on the move.**

**Her blade never reached Jaune as Ren appeared from the darkness, Jaune's sword in his hand, other braced against the blade itself as he held back Blake's strike, arms straining against the other woman.**

"**Tch. You never go anywhere without the orphans, do you, Jaune? Some kind of kindred spirit, or something more?" Blake asked, boot striking Ren in the leg and driving him to one knee, where she used her newly gained height advantage to shove the teen backwards.**

"No, bad Blake! Don't hurt Ren!" Nora turned to face the actual Blake, who shook her head frantically.

**Jaune's hand steadied Ren as he backed into his leader, other hand drawing his own handgun from Ren's pocket and aiming it over the black-haired warrior's shoulder at Blake.**

"**Perhaps I understand what it truly means to have a family."**

**Jaune's retort was punctuated by the three-round burst of rounds that escaped his pistol, Blake vanishing into a cloud of smoke as she dodged sideways, only to hit a mid-air Adam as his body was sent flying by Nora.**

**The ginger had thrown him with significant force, her arms sparking as she felt her muscles tense and relax seemingly at random. "Last time we spoke, Blake, you were a far better person. I'm really not happy about that."**

**Blake and Adam swore in sync as they clambered to their feet.**

"Yeah! JNPR represent! All we need is Pyrrha!" Nora cheered once more.

**A bullet ricocheted off of Jaune's shoulder-blade, and he turned and fired, puncturing a hole in the head of the soldier that had dared shoot him. "Run, White Fang. If you do not take your chances in the wilds, you will have to take your chances with us."**

**Many simply bolted where they stood, sprinting and shoving their way towards the gates, and others seemed to stand fast against the threat that Jaune, Ren and Nora represented.**

"**Ren, deal with the stragglers. I'll handle Blake. Nora?"**

**Nora didn't need orders. "Bastard's mine. You can have his corpse when I'm done."**

"Ouch, Nora. That's dark," Yang let out, wincing.

**Jaune nodded as Ren passed him his sword. "Take her down, Jaune. I'll make sure you aren't interrupted.**

**Jaune gave his blade a spin, and Blake took her sheath off of her back, holding the cleaver-shaped scabbard in her other hand.**

**A second passed between the two before Blake lunged, blade meeting blade as Jaune grabbed her cleaver with an Aura-infused hand, his grip-strength multiplying by a number no one was willing to bother calculating as he slowly pushed her back, towering over her.**

**This was not a fight. It was never meant to be a fight.**

**This was to be an execution.**

The screen faded to the expanse of stars that it had been before they'd started, and the viewers settled down, taking in what they had just seen.

"Is that it?" Blake asked, turning to face the still-terrifying figure of Ak, who was mid-polish of a spotless glass.

"It is as it is."

His response didn't really answer her question, and she swallowed her fear. "What happens afterwards?"

Ak delicately placed the glass down amongst identical others, his spindly skeletal fingers tapping a faint rhythm on the benchtop. "I do not know. I merely care for the screen and its viewers, I do not control the realities."

Ak paused for a moment after finishing. "I may be able to speak to my superior, of course, but that would require some time. Regardless, you may not see that reality again, at least for some time."

"You said there was a lesson to be learned?" Ozpin spoke, standing from his seat.

Ak nodded slowly. "Sometimes. The lesson is to be learned, but not everything is a lesson. You will know what is and what isn't, of course."

"Is what we saw real?" Ruby asked, concern on her face.

Ak performed another slow nod. "Yes. It exists in one of the infinite realities that exist upon this plane of existence."

"So there's a world out there where Blake and I are siblings…" Jaune trailed off.

"There is a world where you can fly, a world where you can see ghosts, and one where you can speak to animals. There is a world where Blake Belladonna is a fighter pilot, where Yang Xiao Long is a dragon, where Pyrrha Nikos is a serial killer, where Ruby Rose is a pirate. The list never ends."

"What was that one?" Pyrrha asked, only to have Nora interject over the top of her. "So, we just watch whatever comes up?"

Ak began to polish another glass. "That is about the gist of it, yes."

"So it's like a movie night, except with the Professors! That's cool!"

Ren sighed. "Of course you would be fine with this. I don't know why I expected anything else."

"Aww, come on, Ren! You looked really cool in that last one! That really was a cool tattoo!"

He couldn't help but agree with her statement.

"So, what's next up?" Yang asked. "Something a little less heavy?"

"Perhaps," Ak replied. "Once again, I have no control over it. It is what it may be, and what it may be is not up to me."

"Do you ever say anything direct?" Weiss asked, a frown gracing her face as she tried to glare at Ak.

"Sometimes. If I feel it necessary."

Weiss harrumphed and twisted back into her seat, arms folded.

"I can tell you a little about what may come next, however," Ak continued, and that had Weiss twisting back, the group's full attention focused on the terrifying entity.

Ak reached down beneath the countertop, spindly hand coming back up with an unlabeled bottle of some kind of deep black liquid, pouring it into the glass he'd ever so meticulously cleaned.

The mouth did not change shape, even as Ak drank deeply from the glass, draining it in one fell swoop.

But that widened, unnatural smile began to shudder, teeth stained irrevocably black, and the spindly form of Ak twitched, shuddered, and then shot ramrod straight.

"A dark night. Snow. Red amongst the white, the glint of glass. Betrayal. Love."

Ak juddered back to his usual stature, letting out an exhalation of relief and satisfaction as he picked up the old rag from the countertop, resuming cleaning the glass.

"And what does that mean?" Pyrrha asked, thoroughly confused.

Ak nodded quietly to himself. "It is what it was. I peered into the fabrics, and saw what will come, if in flashes. It is the best I can do to provide you with an idea."

Ruby gave a shrug and a smile, sitting back into her chair. "Then I guess we'll just have to find out!"

* * *

**For the sake of this being the first chapter, I should point out a few things. No, this won't be taking precedence over Systema, that will still be updated weekly. Also, feel free to suggest ideas. In what has sort of become tradition for me I've got a little organisational spreadsheet written up for all the ideas I've had, and I'd love to add some of yours, if they interest me. Lastly, I'm going to try and avoid doing a lot of copy-paste-style inserts. As interesting as it might be to watch RWBY and JNPR in your favorite game or movie, I'd rather write the characters closer to themselves than the characters' they're replacing. Otherwise you might as well just watch the movie or play the game.**

**If anyone feels like supporting my writing endeavors, I have a Pa Treon by the same name, if you feel like dropping some spare change my way. Don't have to, of course.**

**And, as always, see you next chapter  
~AFatFlyingWhale**


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